Wednesday, October 30, 2024 | Baltimore, MD
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Commentary

Norman: Mental health and gun violence

As a lawyer with a physical disability who also has experienced depression, I’m disappointed at the tenor of how our society discusses a disease of millions of Americans – mental illness. Each tragic occurrence of a mass shooting results in the specter of mental health disability blamed as a factor. Most people both with physical and invisible disabilities, however, are doing their best merely to exist much less to thrive. It does these citizens a profound disservice to equate them as the problem to be solved through catchy-sounding legislation.

Food Aisle on Supermarket
Opinion: It’s Time for Md. Leaders to Address Food Insecurity

Food insecurity is a growing concern for many Marylanders, particularly for those in Prince George’s County. About 17% of Maryland’s total food insecure population is concentrated in Prince George’s County, with many of those people in minority communities. One in seven people in the county are hurt by food insecurity. Maryland’s most food insecure area, located in District 24, encompasses zip code 20743, which includes cities like Capitol Heights, Fairmount Heights, Walker Mill, Seat Pleasant, Coral Hills, and Pepper Mill Village.

Dan Rodricks: Maryland missing the catfish boat

The Chesapeake Bay has an overabundance of invasive blue catfish, but the region’s watermen and seafood wholesalers are missing out on a potentially huge national market for them. There are two reasons — a federal regulation that gives a big advantage to the catfish farming industry in the Mississippi Delta and the lack of a major processor to handle a much larger harvest in Maryland.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Open and public carry can solve Maryland’s gun control problem

After New York State’s “proper cause” standard for carrying a firearm outside the home was struck down as unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Tuesday directed the State Police to stop using the “good and substantial reason” standard in deciding whether citizens could carry a gun. Governor Hogan’s decision, supported by the state’s Attorney General’s Office, may make it easier for citizens to carry a gun, however, it should not make it easier for citizens to carry concealed guns.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Supreme Court ruling hamstrings EPA, puts Americans at risk

Can the Environmental Protection Agency actually protect the environment? The Supreme Court’s decision on West Virginia v. EPA will make it very difficult for the U.S. to meet its pledge to cut its greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, which is essential if we are to avoid surpassing global warming of 1.5 degrees Centigrade.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
We can’t reach elder abuse victims in rural areas without public interest lawyers

Elder abuse and exploitation is a silent crisis affecting every corner of our country. Whether it is mistreatment at an assisted living facility or a parent exploited by an adult child, elder injustice is happening more often than you might think. Each year in the United States, hundreds of thousands of adults older than 60 are physically or psychologically abused, neglected or financially exploited, and 1 out of every 10 older adults experience elder abuse.

The Cox conundrum: He may benefit from Democratic attacks

Given the angry claim made last week by former Maryland Commerce Secretary Kelly Schulz that the Democratic Governors Association was spending over $1 million on a television ad campaign to promote her main primary opponent, Del. Dan Cox, we were prepared for something truly nefarious. Was the DGA’s “Meet Dan Cox” effort going to endorse him? Claim he’s the second coming of Ronald Reagan? Try to position the one-term delegate representing Carroll and Frederick counties as Larry Hogan’s rightful successor?

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Dan Rodricks: Wait, what? Democrats help a Trumpie in GOP primary. Clang. Kaboom!

So there I was, reclined on my couch, watching the Orioles play the Twins, when this commercial comes on about Dan Cox, Republican candidate for governor of Maryland. It has menacing movie music, the sounds of clanging steel and kabooms. Definitely gets my attention. Suddenly there’s a thumbs-up picture of the former president, Donald Trump, with Cox, standing in what appears to be the Oval Office. The narrator says Cox is Trump’s “hand-picked candidate for Maryland governor.”

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Editorial Advisory Board: Let’s not forget the Maryland Constitution

The final days of the Supreme Court’s recently concluded term brought several significant constitutional decisions, including Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization which overturned Roe v. Wade, and Kennedy v. Bremerton School District which “abandoned” Lemon v. Kurtzman. Notwithstanding the majority’s disclaimer in Dobbs that the decision does not impact constitutional rights other than the right to an abortion, Justice Clarence Thomas’s concurring opinion portends further rights being overturned in the coming years.

Opinion: Prince George’s Schools Chief Responds to Op-Ed on Staffing ‘Crisis’

In response to the June 27 op-ed (Prince George’s County Needs to Address the School Staffing Crisis – Now), I would like to address some inaccuracies about our work to recruit and retain educators in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS). I agree with the Prince George’s County Educators Association that the status quo is unacceptable, which is why my administration and the Prince George’s County Board of Education have offered unprecedented employee raises this year and essentially overhauled the current PGCEA contract by agreeing to more than 80 new terms.

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